'No safe options' for thousands sheltering in key Sudan city as RSF fighters advance
Thousands of displaced people in the Sudanese city of el-Obeid face an imminent threat as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) advance on the area. International organizations warn that the city, a key refuge for those fleeing the civil war, could become the site of further mass atrocities.
Why it matters
The escalation threatens to worsen the humanitarian crisis in Sudan and risks repeating the mass violence seen in other regions.
By Matt Murphy and Peter Mwai , BBC Verify Published 13 minutes ago Thousands of people who have poured into the city of el-Obeid hoping to find shelter from Sudan's raging civil war have found themselves under threat again, amid warnings that paramilitary fighters are preparing to descend on the army-controlled city.
Clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the military has escalated in the North Kordofan region - a critical target for both sides in the conflict which could open a gateway into contested territory.
Displaced people have flocked to el-Obeid, which remains heavily defended by the Sudanese military, despite ongoing strikes being carried out on the city as paramilitary forces advance. The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it has become a key refuge for people escaping ongoing violence in the surrounding areas.
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